The final blueprint of the long-pending Rs 6,600-crore Jharia Action Plan has been forwarded to the Union cabinet for approval and is expected to be passed soon.

Coal India Limited (CIL) chairman P Bhattacharyya said this today at a news meet at Bastakola colliery, about 5km from here.

After consultations with technical experts and coal companies, the state has sent the blueprint to the Centre, which is expected to show the green light in a short while, "The project is crucial as it will bring sweeping changes in the economy of Dhanbad zone, including that of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL)," he added.

Regarding the protests by the residents of Jharia, who do not want to be evicted, the chairman said that it would be sorted out by the state, the local administration and BCCL. "CIL will enter the share market in three years. Those who have given their land for the project and have not got jobs will get the company's shares for free," he added.

On corruption in coal companies and the CBI exposure of coal linkage practices in Dhanbad, in which a few senior officials of BCCL were involved, Bhattacharyya said that coal company officials only verified documents. "They do not go for spot verification due to security concerns. As a result, it becomes easy for the corrupt officials to dodge the scanner."

Last evening, the CIL chief had awarded gold medals and Dhanbad Gaurav Samman to those students who have made it to the top 20 list of IIT entrance exam and pre-medical tests conducted by CBSE.

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